Attachment C - VHA MSPV Supplies RFI - 36C24125Q0470 - Industry Day - Transcript.pdf

VHA MSPV Supplies RFI - 36C24125Q0470 - Industry Day-20250521_162340-Meeting Recording

May 21, 2025, 3:21PM 1h 1m 56s

Parker, Jeremy 8:44 Hey, good morning, everyone.

We'll go ahead and start in a few minutes.

I'm just letting more people come into the room.

Alright, good morning everyone.

I'm Jeremy Parker. I'm the one of the branches for the VHAMSPV supplies division.

We'll go ahead and get this started.

So today's industry day is going to be for the supplies RFI that we posted out there.

This is gonna be to clean up data.

Who I have all let me introduce who I have on here right now, and then we'll go ahead and get into the actual presentations.

So currently I have Damon wired on here.

He's the CEO that's helping me wrangle in all the responses.

So, and he'll be on here helping monitor the questions that are being put into the chat. We'll have AQ and a here at towards the end. And then I also have Crystal Martin, who is the director over on the for the MSPO office. And I'll have her.

Hop on here in a minute to be able to introduce herself and believe a few members of her staff.

So.

For just the agenda that we have for today.

It it's a pretty quick agenda.

Not a whole lot cause. I really want to get into why we're doing this and showing you guys also how to fill out the spreadsheet that was put in there.

So it's going to go.

We're going to go over the MSPV program at a glance.

We'll hit the RFI purpose and then really the line item discrepancies that we're looking for, so.

At this point Crystal do you want to?

Hop on and say hi and introduce yourself.

Martin, Crystal D. 10:58 Hey, good morning, team.

Thank you guys for joining us.

I just wanted to just say thank you for joining us and please continue to spread the word around. We want to maximize getting information out.

I know we have the sam.gov website where we have the RFI is and RFQs posted.

But just wanted to just continue to encourage you to look for opportunities to work with us and support us on our.

Med surg.

A product needs so I just wanted to just pop on and say hi, welcome. And I also have on the line the rest of our commodities team Takia done. If you could jump on and just say what your commodities are and then we can turn it back over.

To Jeremy.

So take your Rodney and hope.

Do we see Takeo Rodney on?

OK.

I don't want to hold up the shows.

Here we go. Let's go.

Parker, Jeremy 12:04 No. All right. Yeah, we'll go.

Sorry, I thought I had all right.

I'll have to mess with the settings again.

I thought I'd put them as presenters, but we'll. We'll go ahead and get this going.

All right.

So for the next slide, this really MSPV at a glance.

There we go.

Really what it is, it's the program provides an efficient and cost effective method for ordering supplies and distributing the medical, surgical, dental and select prosthetic and labs lab supplies.

Across the VHA facilities, via the prime vendor distribution and supply management services. So currently there are two prime vendors that are involved in this as Medline and concordance. So the way this works is that the facilities place orders through them. Those prime vendors use the BPA's.

That we have to order those specific supplies through.

So really the program objectives are just in time delivery.

It gives the visibility at the enterprise level and the usage data across the enterprise.

It's really aligns us with the VHA is integrated supply chains, transformation initiatives and increases the VHA's purchasing power for these type of items because these are for the items that are commonly used.

Across the enterprise, this isn't just for specific.

Like one specific facility ordering something. This is more of the enterprise solution.

For those of you, most of you know, there are pretty large health care system.

There's over 1300 medical facilities, which includes 170 medical centers and almost 1200 outpatient sites and.

Currently last numbers I had is about 2.1 billion in total, VHA medical supply spend.

So it it's quite a lot of items to have the potential to be on here, so.

That's one of the reasons for this RFI.

Martin, Crystal D. 14:07 Hey, Jeremy, are you sharing the slides?

Parker, Jeremy 14:08 Yes.

I it should be.

Martin, Crystal D. 14:12 I.

I don't see no.

I don't see though.

Parker, Jeremy 14:16 OK, I thought.

The slide shows on my side, so hold on.

Martin, Crystal D. 14:19

OK.

Parker, Jeremy 14:21 Thank you, crystal.

Martin, Crystal D. 14:22 No worries.

Parker, Jeremy 14:24 It.

Martin, Crystal D. 14:35 There we go.

Parker, Jeremy 14:39 All right. Did that work now?

Martin, Crystal D. 14:41 Yep, I can see them.

Parker, Jeremy 14:42 All right. Thanks.

I had the.

I had the red box on my side showing it was sharing it.

So my apologies and we'll send this, we'll post this slide deck.

Once we, we'll do a amendment to the solicitation so everybody could get a copy of the slide.

So I appreciate that.

Thanks crystal.

All right, so next.

Really, what the purpose of this RFI is, is we really want to clean up the data that was provided to us.

I know Crystal's team went through this and has tried to clean it up on that side and this data is pulled using systems that we have and the access that we have and it's also reliant on the data that's put into those. So as everybody knows.

The data quality is as good as what's put into the system.

So the generation of this specific list was based on the vision awards for the Gen. Z1 Distribution awards.

So those are the new prime vendor distribution awards that were just completed.

Earlier this year, the delivery orders were.

Active and I believe what was it 9 days ago now they are fully implemented.

So we wanted to make sure that the new or the visits that were coming on that.

Items that they're using, we're trying to get onto the program. So all these items do have historical usage, but we also know that there may be some bad debt out there and some items may be discontinued or maybe we have the incorrect information.

So I'll go down through the list and try to answer some common questions that we're getting just based on this and then we'll get into the demo.

Alright, so the one the main ones is discontinued.

Item. So we've ran into problems where we tried to order something and it's just discontinued. And So what we're trying to clean up is we want to know if there's any direct replacements and when we talk about direct replacements.

It's specifically for that OEM. We don't want to bring in a new OEM item to this quite yet.

We're not going out for like items we're not.

We're not at that point yet. Right now we're focused on these specific brand items, so.

If you're the OEM, or if you're the authorized supplier for a specific OEM that's on the list and you know that item's discontinued.

Or maybe it's being discontinued here in the near future.

Please provide that information and provide us with the replacement item information because how we handle direct replacements is we look at that, we look at the usage and if it's good to go, we just we replace that on the.

Actual solicitation list that will be issued later.

All right. Incorrect information as far as the OEM name OEM number and the country of origin.

So this is where we find a lot of issues as well.

Is that maybe there was a local order placed or something and they put a distributor's name versus the actual OEM name on their order and so it pulled it into the system incorrectly?

So we want to clean that up.

We want to clean up the OEM part numbers.

This can include as far as like if there's leading zeros missing, if there are dashes.

Is that should be in there or?

And correct dashes in there and what it whatever it may be, we want to clean this up.

And then one of the biggest ones is the country of origin.

We need to make sure that we're going after TA compliant items.

What we found is that a lot of times there may be two versions of a product.

One is ATA noncompliant version. The other one's a compliant version.

So we want to make sure that we're going.

After that and also there with industry changes lately, maybe previously it was manufactured somewhere else and we just need to update the location now.

So please provide that that information in there.

Right. So for private label items, so this is a big issue that does come up for us and I believe the clearest way that I could help explain it is that we want the OEM labeled product if it's available.

So say we have the OEM product that's available, but then also we have the store brand of that exact same thing that the OEM manufacturers but allows anybody else to put their label on it. What we want is to get.

OEM label. Now if there are the cases where and this happens where OEMs they purely just manufacture, they don't sell the product under their name under their labels.

So they allow the private labels. If that is the case, we want to know that information.

If you see something on here that is truly a private labeled item.

But the OEM just doesn't sell it under their name.

Please let us know that because we do need to look into.

Do we need to have all the different versions on here?

Because they are through different.

Companies. So please let us know that information and I'll show you how to do that on the spreadsheet as well pharmaceutical items. We want to know if there's pharmaceutical items on here, especially anything that has.

That has pharmaceuticals in it.

Lot of the key indicator, the biggest key indicator to this is if it's on the pharmaceutical prime Bender contracts, we want to know that.

Because in that allow the program office to make a decision, OK? Does that need a the state over there? If it's an item that doesn't have medications in it, is it something that we could have potentially on both contracts because if logistics needs to order it through?

Our program, or if there's a way that we can consolidate and make sure that for those specific items, they're going through the correct program.

All right. Another thing that that we're trying to clean up is D.

MERME or if it's like non expendable equipment, we need to know that from your side. If you believe it fits one of those.

Typically those don't fall under this program, but we want to get this cleaned up because.

There has been some leakage and just due to the sheer number of items that that's going to happen on the program, but we want to make sure that we get this stuff cleaned up.

So if you believe anything does fit.

Fit those descriptions. Please let me know by responding in in this and we'll have the program office take a look at it and we'll dig into it before the actual list of items is posted on the solicitation.

All right. One the last big ones are prosthetic implants.

We want to know if it's specifically an implant or not.

We have, you see in the parentheses right there, Cappy items which is closely associated prosthetic items.

So these may be the items that support the implant procedure, but also.

Aren't specifically just the implant, so the consumable side of that which those items also may be used in a regular clinic.

They may be used somewhere else in the facility, so those items we allowed to be both on both programs on both the MSPV program and then the prosthetics program.

So that is what we are mainly looking to clean up, but we'll take any other information that that you may have as well.

So I'm going to stop sharing and I'm going to bring up my screen and actually bring up the Excel sheet that was posted.

All right, Crystal can. Can you see this?

Wanna make sure we're good before we move forward? Alright, perfect.

Martin, Crystal D. 22:48 Yes. Yep.

Parker, Jeremy 22:50 Alright so.

On the 1st tab, when you guys open it up.

It's going to everything in here was red. What? We need to make sure is that everything in here is green because this is helping us track responses. And this is it.

Just helps us build out our database.

So we need to make sure that everything in here is read.

I just put in some samples in here to show you what it should look like.

Like.

And that.

We want to make sure that we're getting the correct size status of businesses tracked in here and then down in here.

So if you're an SDVOSB, you're used to this part where you have to put in here if you're certified or not. And then for 8A hub zone.

Small disadvantage in one small business we want to make sure that we're tracking this information.

So we know where the responses are coming from.

Now.

On this list right here.

So this is the main list of everything.

There's over 5100 items on here, so it's quite the list.

The nice thing is you should be able to filter and get down to specific items if you need to, which should make the process go a little bit quicker for you guys.

And the shared number is also why we've had.

We've put the RFI to last for three weeks just because we know it's a large amount of items.

So the first let me scroll back over here so columns a through G you're not going to be able to update. This is the base information that we have and that we're trying to get cleaned up.

So you won't be able to change any of these columns now.

All the responses that we're looking for are going to be all the columns in green, so I'll just work from left to right.

There's specific ones that are most targeted and then we left the other to providing comments.

The first thing is we want to know if this stuff is actually accurate because it's good to know if we have accurate data or not.

If we do, we want to know that. And then it. And then we also get into that.

It's that it's offered by that supplier OEM.

But hey, there's updates required.

The current product that we have isn't a compliant version, but you're going to provide the compliant version discontinued. So, you're providing that alternate OEM the same OEM product for that.

If it's already on another national contract, so this is where we get into the pharmacy.

Prime vendor contracts, we get into some of the other national equipment contracts that are out there.

Or any other national contract that this may be on.

The caveat to that is if it's on FSS schedules, that is fine.

Those are two completely separate.

Things and everything's allowed to be on the FSS and this the FSS schedules.

Other agencies can use. It's not just for Virginia, so there may be duplicate coverage there.

So don't worry if you already have it on schedule and then other.

So this could be anything else that that you would think that may be good information for us to have.

Please mark that and then you could put in the notes.

There's a notes column to the right.

So before I move further, one thing I do want to hit on as well is please make sure all the responses go into the spreadsheet. We've already started seeing responses come back and we really appreciate the number of responses that we're getting. However, some of them do.

Include the responses just in the body of the e-mail and.

Just because of the shared number of emails that we get.

Get in in response to this plus all the other emails that we get.

We're not going to be able to track it if it's just in the body of an e-mail.

So if you're submitting an official response to the RFI, please use this spreadsheet and put the information within this. It's going to make it to where we can easily collect the data.

We can work with our data team, we can work with the program office to get to answers more quickly.

Damon and myself, just there's just not the time nor the resources to be able to go through every single e-mail if it's in that body.

So any official RFI response needs to be needs to be in here.

So if you if you have specific questions on that you can we can hit that in the Q&A section. But just wanted to hit on that.

All right.

So next thing is we need to know if there you're the manufacturer of the product or if you're the supplier.

If we get multiple responses for the same item, the kind of the order the order priority of responses is going to go.

It's going to go to the manufacturer, and then it's going to go down to authorize suppliers. As far as the basis for that information.

And then we do need to know if you're authorized distributor or not.

And to for us to accept it as an official response to the RFI, you do and if you're supplying it as a supplier for an OEM, we need to know that you're authorized to supply that information.

And we're really trying to make sure that we get clean information and accurate information and we want to be fair to the OEMs and the authorized suppliers and not bring in unauthorized responses.

All right, Med PDB keyed.

This is if you know it.

This is a specific key that we have on our side and one in the PDB system.

Some suppliers know this.

Some don't.

No problem if you don't have anything different than what's.

Supplied.

Alright, this is a big one.

The manufacturer name this could be. We know that sometimes.

Hey, maybe as a manufacturer, you've gone through some changes on your side.

You've changed your name.

Maybe you've divested a product?

You maybe now have a DBA, whatever it may be, we want to know what the correct OEM name is.

To go along with that, the OEM Dons and we know that there was a big push to move over to the SAM UEI.

But for right now.

The OEM Dons and OEM part number combination is actually how we.

We.

Do this and keep the.

And not sure where that. Sorry. I have a missing column right here.

So the OEM Dons and the OEM part number is a specific numbering sequence that helps us track everything.

Alright, the supply description, we need to know if it's different. We need to make sure that hey that that is.

This is correct.

So if for some reason this description doesn't match the exact description that is on the OEM website, we want to know that because when we do look at these, we want to make this as clean as possible.

And we want to know that, hey, this description is what is?

What is on the OEM website?

Because when you're looking at it from a VA perspective.

You have an inventory tag ordering something that the clinician has asked for. We want to make sure that if what that clinician is asking for that they're able to find that exact thing on the website.

So we want to know that.

Hey, it's that specific.

Supply description.

OK.

So then we also have the OEM unique identifier.

So they're also registered in Sam.

We would like to know that just helps us keep track of all this information. If you know the GTIN number, please provide that the country of origin again that is, that is a big one.

We want to know that we have the correct country of origin.

The product literature links if you guys already have that information, please provide that. It just helps us get a good a good basis of data and then again, the additional comments.

So this could be anything, any, anything that you'd feel would be useful. Useful for us to know. We want to get that information put into here.

So that is how you fill out the sheet.

Let me go ahead and stop sharing here so I could get over to my other screen.

So crystal, before we, before we turn it over to questions, is there anything that that you want to hit on or?

Expand upon.

Martin, Crystal D. 31:47 No. So Takea and Rodney said that we're muted.

Could you unmute them and see if?

They have something to add to the group.

It's great to see.

See, we got 133 folks on so this is awesome.

Dunn, Takia 32:37 Hey, thanks, Jeremy.

I just wanted to let you know that mute is working.

Crystal I don't have anything to add at this time based off of the discussions that we've had, but just to do some introductions just to go back a little bit.

My name is Takia Dunn and I am the deputy program manager in the medical Supply Program Office for the medical non medical supplies.

For those categories would include things like the reusable textiles.

The sterilization solutions and supplies.

Emergency Medicine, environmental Services or Jan Sand, that most of you recognize that as.

Medical documentation.

We have nutrition now.

Patient Care products, exam room, wound care.

So just for some examples of the kinds of categories that represent my team.

We have approximately.

Three project managers that support the efforts for both MSPV and non MSPV.

So thank you guys and Jeremy and Crystal, we can support with questions as needed.

Martin, Crystal D. 33:57 Awesome. Thank you.

Dunn, Takia 33:58 Yeah.

Parker, Jeremy 34:00 All right, great.

And Rodney, I believe you're unmuted if you want to say hi.

Hickson, Rodney 34:03 Afternoon, afternoon everybody. Rodney Hicks.

I'm also a deputy program manager for the Prosthetic medical imaging and laboratory, and my team we cover.

Orthopedic prosthetic and sports medicine, patient mobility, transportation and transport equipment.

Medical imaging, physical therapy, Women's Health.

Lab laboratory, ear, nose and throat endoscopy.

And among a few other categories.

And again, just like Kia said, we're here to support and answer any questions you may have.

Parker, Jeremy 34:48 Alright, I appreciate it.

So this is what we'll do.

I'm going to go through the chat really quick and read off the questions to get that started.

And then if people want to raise their hands, what we do is go ahead and raise your hand.

We'll get you unmuted and allow you to ask your questions.

So all right.

The first one it looks like.

What should we do with the products that are on?

My are on my list.

Not Med surg so.

Angelica is are those items on the on the Excel sheet?

That you asked or are you just asking in general? Like if there's other items not on here?

So if you can.

OK.

Damon, can you unmute?

Angelica and will get that question answered.

And I might do this.

Gonna go.

Ware, Damon U. (HOU) 36:08 She's been on muted Jeremy.

Angelica Caetano 36:09 Hi, yeah.

So the products have an active ingredient and they're pharmaceutical and they're both on.

They're on the two products that are listed on my spreadsheet are pharmaceutical products, not Med surg products.

Parker, Jeremy 36:24 OK, perfect. So, on that, definitely put that into the response.

So on the spreadsheet you can mark it as that.

They're on the another contract and then in those comments, please put that in there and what and what pharmaceutical contract they're on that way we have that tracking and Crystal and her team can make sure to review it. And I'm, I'm guessing, Chris, unless you guys say other.

Angelica Caetano 36:37

OK.

Parker, Jeremy 36:50 Most likely, that's probably going to be removed.

Angelica Caetano 36:53

Parker, Jeremy 36:59 Oh, and you're welcome. And I just made it a little bit easier.

Angelica Caetano 36:59 Thank you.

Parker, Jeremy 37:03 So now everybody should be able to.

Just raise your hand if you have questions, and then I'll call me, and you should be able to unmute yourself at that point.

So let me get back to the.

OK. And then I see another question in here from Yolanda Data Davis.

What if there's a small business that manufacturers a specific item on this list but is not the name brand that you're asking for?

Can they still complete the information for the RFI or are you only accepting information for this specific brand listed?

So yes, right now we are only seeking information for the specific brand listed.

Because this is currently what is being purchased by the VA.

But potentially there could be.

Be in the future solicitations for bike items to build out the resiliency of the supply chain and the program.

But currently it's just for just for the specific products.

OK, I see.

And question in here from Ron Thomas, if you have exclusivity over any of the items, will there still be a solicitation or can you negotiate directly with the vendor?

So Ron, we still want to get them on the solicitation.

Put them out there. We want to be open and transparent with it. All the items that were going after.

So the goal is to get these onto a solicitation if there are issues where the Va's needs need to be met, we would then possibly make a different decision.

But that's going to be based on the VA needs at the time.

All right, Jason Pay can items be added to this list?

What if there is a system that the OEM supplier provides in only one of the items listed is on this RFI we want to make sure the government can order the complete system of MSPV and not just one off the MSPV and not just one item so J.

What I would say is for that item, please provide that response because we do need to know if there are items out there. Say we have part A, but we're missing parts B&C and you need B&C to make a work.

We definitely want to know that, or if there's other items within that product family, please add that to the comments and then Crystal and her team can make a decision on what needs to be added, because there are some items on this list that have already been approved by.

The CM OS to go after it and that will be the items on the 1st solicitation.

But we need to know that information if we are missing those type of items.

So thanks for bringing that up.

All right, so from Chris Holcomb, should Bender requested items with significant VA sales be included on this product list? We had an item in his VA sales were verified by your team in January 2024 and this recommend for it IPT review to possibly include in the.

Next, quarterly solicitation.

So Chris, those items aren't on this list.

This is specific to the vision award from the distribution.

There will potentially be another RFI coming that has other items that meet the.

Thresholds for MSPB and to include vendor suggested and facility suggested items, so those aren't on this list.

Those will be on potentially different RFI coming up later this year. Right now we just we got to get through this list to make sure that we're supporting all those awards that just went out.

OK.

So Kim is the intention of this RFID to clean up the data prior to the release of a new solicitation or is it intend to clean up data for items that are currently?

Already on the existing contracts, again this is specifically for items that would possibly be on a new solicitation.

So before we even go out with the next solicitation, we want to get all this data cleaned up. That way, when we do go out for solicitation, we have good clean data and it allows our process to flow like it should when we do run into data issues.

During the solicitation process, it slows it down and it hinders what we're trying to do.

So we're specifically to put on to the new solicitation, if you have items currently awarded and you need to clean up that information.

And please just work with your Cos during your quarterly maintenance period and that you can clean up the information that way on your BPA.

Alright, a question from.

Michelle, some products on the RFI spreadsheet are not in the recent MSPV product list spreadsheet.

Please advise how manufacturers are to know the supplier and validate whether the supplier is authorized by the manufacturer.

Yeah. So on the Michele, on the RFI, there are no suppliers listed just because they have not been awarded yet.

These are all for brand new items so.

In in the responses, we're asking that people, if they are.

Suppliers and not the OEM that they're sending and those authorized supplier letters as well.

We want to make sure that that we are getting the good data as far as the current MSPV product list on there. It shows who the authorized suppliers.

So if you pull that from the MSPV website, it shows currently awarded suppliers.

All right. Well, the recording and transcript will be emailed out to us after the presentation.

Yes, we can provide the, the slides and the transcript to go with that.

Unfortunately, the video can't be posted just due to the firewalls.

We can't get the video out, but we can at least get a summary sent out along with the slides.

OK.

I see a question in here from John about the next PPE solicitation.

No, that's a completely different effort, John. And I don't have any new updates on that one.

OK.

I see a question in here from I'm trying to get this.

It's Scroll down.

Sorry about this.

Is there a link to the?

P.

The prime vendor product list.

Takea.

Martin, Crystal D. 43:26 I think he's talking. I posted the message one.

I think he's talking about the pharmaceutical 1, correct?

Parker, Jeremy 43:31

Martin, Crystal D. 43:31 Jeffrey, you're looking for the pharmaceutical 1.

Jeffrey Loman.

Yes, OK.

He's looking for the pharmaceutical 1.

Parker, Jeremy 43:44

OK.

Yeah, I don't believe I have the link to it.

Unless Takia or Crystal, if you guys might have that.

Martin, Crystal D. 43:52 Yeah, I'm looking at the pharmaceutical website and see if I can post it.

But yeah, OK.

Parker, Jeremy 43:57

OK.

All right.

And then a question from Sandy.

Will a solicitation be posted after the data is cleaned up?

Yes, that is the intent.

The there will be a solicitation posted.

Right now, the goal is to get something out towards the end of June, but that's all just got to be dependent on all the responses that we get back and how much data we need to clean up.

So right now the intent is the by the end of June, but we'll and when we post it.

We'll post it on to sam.gov.

But we'll also use the same.

The same list that I used for this as far as e-mail distribution.

We'll blind copy everybody that was interested in in this RFI and also along with the existing vendors that we know of.

So we'll send that out.

OK. Question from Catherine. As an authorized distributor, if we already have an OEM items approved on our current BPA, would you still require new ADL to be submitted with our RFI response?

Yes, please send that in.

We know those relationships change all the time.

If they're not going to provide a new one, which we understand that OEM's aren't going to provide a new ADL every single time.

A simple e-mail just confirming that the existing one that's attached is valid.

Will work.

We just want to make sure it's like within the last 90 days. If it's beyond that, we've just seen so many changes in in the industry where the OEM supplier relationships.

Part or they're bringing on new ones and things have changed.

So we it just needs to be within the last 90 days.

And again, a simple e-mail just acknowledging that the current one attached is valid.

It works.

Works for us.

OK.

Let's see if there another question from Michele. If there are any items on the recent.

On the recent MSPV product list spreadsheet with incorrect data, but is not. The RFI spreadsheet. Should we add a road to the RFI spreadsheet?

No, they're already currently on the product list that needs to be worked through the Co and that supplier.

So Michelle, if you guys have authorized suppliers that have your information, please reach out to those suppliers so they can work with their C OS to get that.

Cleaned up.

And I see the posting.

Right vendor.

Alright, so there's all those I'm going to look in the Q&A cause it looks like a few questions may have been submitted.

And.

In the Q&A section.

I see the same question from Jeff.

All right.

And then a good question from Brianna and Lindsay and the in the Q&A is this for small businesses only or can large businesses apply?

So this RFI absolutely weird.

Anybody can respond to this. We're just trying to get good clean data.

We. So we are encouraging everybody from large business OEMs, large business suppliers, small business OEMs.

Small business suppliers and we want to make sure that we're getting all the.

All the good data out there and then just to touch on typically how the actual solicitations work is that we do tiered evaluations, so starting.

At the SDVOSB level, because as the VA, the service disabled, veteran owned small businesses.

That take priority and then we go down through the other small business concerns as we're required to and then up to including large businesses.

So we work through each item as.

As a tiered evaluation and all that will be laid out in the actual solicitation that is posted, but in a in a nutshell, that's how those work.

So we encourage everybody to respond.

That way we can on the RF is we could get the data and then on the solicitations we make sure that we're getting quotes in for everything.

All right, so I believe I've gotten through all the chat questions and all the Q&A questions.

I'll yeah.

Ware, Damon U. (HOU) 48:22 Hey, Jeremy. Jeremy. I believe Brooks earlier they had their hand up while you were going through the questions.

I don't know if the question was answered, but.

Parker, Jeremy 48:31 All right.

Ware, Damon U. (HOU) 48:31 If they're going to.

Parker, Jeremy 48:34 Hey, Brooks, did you still have a question or did I hit it?

Brooks Hulitt 48:37 You were so close around the edges. Psychiatric my hand down, but since she called me, thank you for that.

You're going to shoot the messenger.

So we've got as a couple suppliers, right?

They're on the R5.

Every little looks Gray, but our data we're showing that safe supplier has one item where we're taking over 100 grand and P card on that one item.

I mean, I've got 3 examples like that where you're, you know, your RFI is really dancing on.

It's not a small, medium or large.

It's not like the one you need this component to work with this component.

It's the exacts. It's not.

It's it.

It's we're just having so much sales on AP card and you're getting the OEM in your RFI, you're getting one of their part numbers in in your RFI and you're just missing that one.

There's like three of them that just kill us.

There's such high volume items. Do I wait?

Parker, Jeremy 49:31 So is it a product family then?

Brooks Hulitt 49:34 Yes, it's in the. It's in the family and it's the current. You know, those guys, right?

And there's eight items. You have five of them on your RFI, there's three more that were over 100 grand on peak cards. And I have one kit out in Robert Rose out in Vegas.

Who's killing me for the last two years? But his kits?

Not on MSPV. And he is spending 15 grand a month.

I'm sorry every two weeks, about 30 grand a month.

On this one kit and you have the actual OEM on your RFI, just not this kit.

Parker, Jeremy 50:10

OK.

Brooks Hulitt 50:11 I know, I know.

Parker, Jeremy 50:12 Crystal do you guys want? I mean, if it's within the product family, do you guys want to know that information is other and then have him put it in the comments if there's seems to be missing product family.

Information.

Martin, Crystal D. 50:26 Yes. And I think we had spoke to Brooks and a couple of other suppliers about this.

So Takei is going to go ahead and post our commodities e-mail group and the and she can explain the purpose of the e-mail group. But yes, we are definitely open to those items that are in a family.

Of products, but I may not meet the criteria for.

Generally that comes out on our data sheet for meeting the criteria.

So yes, please send us any information you have on use items that may not meet the criteria but are a part of a family that has high usage. Thank you.

Brooks Hulitt 51:12 Should I put in the comments section where you know when I save OEM on the spreadsheet, so it's captured like Jerry talked earlier and you say your item you know 1234 is not on the same OEM but has you know $200,000 of?

P card in the last 12 months.

Parker, Jeremy 51:27 It, yeah.

So what I would do, Brooks is just market is.

Here I'm going to highlight this.

Here we go.

I would just put other and then in the additional comments put product family item and then list out the part numbers that are missing because we do need to know that hey, it's the product family of this exact item.

Brooks Hulitt 51:40

OK.

Parker, Jeremy 51:55 It's not like something completely different from that OEM.

We don't want to be talking about, like, hey, we got like a mop over here and then we got like, we're talking about catheters.

Brooks Hulitt 52:05 I know you don't.

You don't have. You don't have the floodgates.

Parker, Jeremy 52:09 Over right?

Brooks Hulitt 52:11 I get you.

I understand what you're trying to do, but it's just massive Picard volume on three items.

It's just the sin not to let you know because we have the data. You know, just somehow missed it on your section.

Parker, Jeremy 52:23 Yep.

So yeah, exactly. If it's the same the same product family, that item, please provide that that information. Cause yeah, we can't open the floodgates yet so.

Brooks Hulitt 52:33

I know, I know, it's frustrating, but it's, but just such, you know, such volume, you know, for a few items.

Parker, Jeremy 52:40 Yeah. And some of those items also may be on.

On the next RFI as well, so because there was a couple of different efforts going on right now to try to get try to get items on here.

Brooks Hulitt 52:55 Thank you, Sir. Appreciate it.

Parker, Jeremy 52:57 Hmm.

All right. So we'll, we'll do a call for questions, see if there's any more out there. If there are, please just raise your hand and then I'll call you and you could go ahead and come off mute.

Or kill a minute or two while we wait for that again.

This is we want to get this good data.

We encourage everybody on here.

To send in responses. If you know of other OEMs that you see on here that you have relationships with.

But.

Maybe they're unfamiliar that their items are on here.

Please send that link to them so they can help respond because truly the goal is here is to get these items onto solicitation and potentially on the program because all these items are just going to help make it easier to get the items that facilities need to.

Provide that patient care at the facilities throughout the VA, so.

Definitely encouraging all the responses and we appreciate everybody taking the time to.

One hop on the call.

Two to take your time to go through this massive list and provide responses on this so.

Old.

Martin, Crystal D. 54:14 Hey, Jerry, can I have a quick question? I probably already addressed this, but just if a couple of people if you have participated and you know looking at solicitations in the past, do you have any recommendations on how we can better market?

Parker, Jeremy 54:17 Yet.

Martin, Crystal D. 54:34 I know we have to use the sam.gov, but is there anything else that we can do to kind of encourage additional?

Participation from additional suppliers or.

Distributors manufacturers out there for those products.

Is it anything that we can do to improve our process?

And if we're doing an amazing job, that's fine too.

Brooks Hulitt 55:02 Yeah, I'll just chime in.

You are doing an amazing job because your biweekly calls.

You have such a list of everybody, and I do a tremendous amount of solicitations, but you guys send an e-mail out when you post on Sam. So as far as anything in the government I've seen, you got to do a better anybody as far as getting the word.

Out.

Martin, Crystal D. 55:21 Thanks, brooks.

Anyone else? Comments, recommendations?

Alrighty, back to you, Jeremy. Thank you.

Parker, Jeremy 55:36 All right.

Thanks Russell.

That's a great question. Yeah. And just so everybody knows, we do also keep a the old Excel sheet of.

Interested vendors and current suppliers and so if.

When we do send these out, I know people responded to me saying, hey, this person is no longer here or we get emails kicked back.

We we try to update that list as well. So please just let us know too if the point of contacts change on your side.

That way we can make sure that on our on our spreadsheet that we use for our distribution list.

That gets updated.

Hey, I do see a question from Camille.

Cherri, Camille 56:14 Hello I just had a quick question about the changes for. So the DME you said that you know they're looking at it.

This shouldn't be in the program, so I'm wondering if there's better clarification on what should be on MSPB and what should not be on MSPB.

Or part of the program in general.

Parker, Jeremy 56:36 Yep.

Chris, I'll and I'll let you.

You chime in on this typically.

Is it for the consumable medical supplies, so not equipment or the long term reusable solutions? Typically in a nutshell like consumable within like 30-30 days crystal do you want to provide more on that?

Martin, Crystal D. 56:57 So I'll say this.

So right now we're working with the legal guys to make sure we're describing RMA or DME correctly. And so I really would like to pause on responding to that. But as soon as we get the legal way that we're describing these products, we'll definitely publish that, but right?

Now I'm not.

I don't feel comfortable just saying it when the legal guys haven't made a determination on it.

Parker, Jeremy 57:26 Yeah.

Martin, Crystal D. 57:27 If you if you understand.

Parker, Jeremy 57:29 Yeah, yeah.

And we are working to update the state more work to for the supply BP as that will be to help clarify that as well.

Cherri, Camille 57:39

OK.

Thank you.

Parker, Jeremy 57:46 Right.

Hi, Eric.

Erik Brinker 57:48 Hey Sir, this goes back to the question that was just asked around the reusable medical device. If you see an item.

And you are not the authorized distributor and you see a an electric handpiece that is again not a consumable. Would you want us to identify those?

That this doesn't fit the scope.

Based off what you've identified as what you guys are currently looking for.

Parker, Jeremy 58:23 Yeah, you could provide that information and like Crystal said, like once the final clarification is sent out, then we can proceed with the direction that we need to move into.

So yeah, you could provide feedback that way.

All right. Are there any other questions out there?

Just one last thing that I that I do want to share.

The I realize the version that I brought up was.

A different copy that I wanted there is the OEM part number field in column N that that was posted.

Please make sure that if there's any OEM part number updates that those get put into that column.

So that's on there as well.

And again, that's for any dashes or like leading zeros that are missing or just.

It's flat out wrong if we need to make sure that it's updated, please put that information in there.

All right.

Well, I don't see any other hands up and I don't see any new questions posted into the chat.

So again, I just want to thank everybody for your time.

We appreciate this.

We'll post an amendment with the slides and a synopsis of the call.

So if you guys have any.

Any other questions beyond this, please submit them.

We'll try to answer them as best as we can, but.

Really, the questions there'll be next time we do a solicitation the Q&A period during that will be the good time to address all the specific solicitation questions.

Oh, Jackie, I see you got your hand up.

Speaker 1 1:00:33 Yeah, I just had a quick question.

I think you said if you do have conflicting information, you guys would.

Did you say you would default to the OEM information first for accuracy? OK.

Parker, Jeremy 1:00:42 It.

Yep, Yep.

So the OEM information will take precedence and then authorize supplier information.

Speaker 1 1:00:50

OK, perfect.

Thank you.

Parker, Jeremy 1:00:53 You're welcome.

All right.

Well, we'll go ahead and end it here.

We'll get these amendments posted, hopefully today or tomorrow, but again, thank you for your time.

We do really appreciate this and it does take everybody's participation from the vendor side to the program side, the procurement side to make this work.

So thank you everyone and looking forward to getting responses when we close out the RFI and potentially on the next solicitation.

All right.

Have a good day.

Martin, Crystal D. 1:01:31 Thanks all.

Take care.

Brooks Hulitt 1:01:32 Thank you.

KRIS O 1:01:34

Thank you very much.

Parker, Jeremy stopped transcription